


Purple Heart of Bravery

by Karios



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Angst, Blizzards & Snowstorms, F/M, Huddling For Warmth, Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-06 21:03:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20513450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karios/pseuds/Karios
Summary: Trapped in the snow, Henry makes an easy sacrifice. It's more complicated for Jo.





	Purple Heart of Bravery

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArgylePirateWD](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgylePirateWD/gifts).

If there could be said to be an upside to being trapped under several feet of snow in Jo's car in the middle of a blizzard blanketing New York City, it was that Jo now knew about Henry's immortality so he didn't need to fear dying in front of her. 

The car had shut down when they slid off the road and into the snow bank, leaving them both in the dark. As far as Henry could tell, they had fallen far enough that the snow had, or nearly had, covered the vehicle on all sides. This had been good for trapping warmth in with them, but bad for their odds of quick rescue. It was too hard to make out his pocket watch in the low light, but they'd been down here a while. Long enough that Jo had begun shivering in his arms.

"Henry, what are you doing?"

"Giving you my coat. You're getting cold," Henry said, wrestling with the garment in an effort to disturb their blanket cocoon as little as possible. 

"We're both cold," she insisted. "Without your coat, you'll be colder. Don't do that." 

"As the only one of us who has died of hypothermia, darling, I assure you it's not the way you want to go." He draped the chilled garment over her shoulders, in spite of her protests. Then he settled in close to her again.

"If it's that bad, what makes you think I'll let you volunteer to go through it?" Jo asked. Henry couldn't see her glare, but he could feel it.

"Better me than you, for one thing."

"Your deaths don't mean less just because they're not permanent."

"Would it make you feel better if I said I'd still feel that way, even if I were mortal?"

"No. That is the exact opposite of something that would make me feel better."

"Consider it unsaid then."

"Thank you," Jo replied, sarcasm lending the words as much bite as the cooling air.

"I promise you I'm not trying to die," Henry said as an idea struck him, "though perhaps I should be."

"A little extreme there, Henry. We haven't been trapped for that long. You don't have to get away from me that badly." Jo let out a weak laugh, at the tail end of which her teeth chattered.

“Long enough," he disagreed. "All I'm doing is popping down to the river and coming back with help.”

“No,” Jo said emphatically. The way he described it, as if he was going to the corner bodega, was disturbing. “Absolutely not.”

“There are other ways to keep warm," Henry replied, a half second before he shifted to press his mouth to hers. The kiss was insistent, Henry's tongue swirling against hers with almost frightening urgency. Jo melted into it. Her eyes closed, she memorized the soft pressure of Henry's lips, the scent of his skin filling her nose, the feel of his fingers as they slid from her shoulders, down her waist, past her ribs and lower to...close in on her service weapon.

Jo's eyes snapped open. She shoved him away, a second too late. He levelled the gun at his chest. "Henry, don't," Jo implored him.

"What good is this curse of mine, if I can't use it to save someone I love?" he asked her. The words were barely above a whisper.

Jo shook her head. "You're impossible. Of course you would use that card now."

"I'll apologize later," Henry promised. "As soon as you're safe and warm."

Jo reluctantly backed away toward the door on her side of the car to give Henry room. "This argument is not over."

"I'm really counting on that." The bang as he pulled the trigger was too loud in the otherwise silent car. As Henry gurgled and gasped beside her, Jo dully registered that he was using the last of his waning strength to tuck the blankets more firmly around her, and then he was gone. The gesture stole some of the force behind her anger.

Jo didn't cry. Henry would never forgive her if her tears froze to her cheeks.

She didn't remember falling asleep, but one moment she was alone in the terrible quiet of the car and the next she was staring at Henry.

"Thank God," he breathed, his face breaking into a wide grin. "I thought I lost you...I thought I might have waited too long." Henry gathered her close, squeezed her tight. He resolved to put out of his mind the sight of Jo pale and still, her lips purpled from the cold. She was safe again. He had gotten back in time.

"I'm still mad at you," she drawled, even as she hugged him back. "Remind me to be mad at you."

"I will, tomorrow." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "For now, sleep."

She pulled Henry in close. She wouldn't let him get away again. He stayed.


End file.
